I, for one, would look forward to the memes of "Could beat the 92 dream team; loses to team full of whities"

/racism

Yeah, but I'm not sure how much. I think the advantage is probably pretty miniscule right now -- in my experience things like this take a long time to implement optimally.

Why is this considered an advantage when comparing team vs. team though? Wouldn't we allow the Dream Team to scout using modern tech? Like if 2012 has some advantage in game film recording technologies, are we really not allowing 1992 to scout using the same stuff? This seems a little silly and not in the spirit of the hypothetical.

Looks like Carmelo thinks he is still playing Nigeria, jacking up bad 3's. Maybe he should try playing a little defense.
The guards for Lithuania blow by Kobe, CP3, and walk right down the lane.

Looks like the entire USA team mailed this one in. The great shooting team has been exposed.

Massive facepalm at the replies to the Karl Malone MVP and old Kevin Garnett points. I mean really guys? You still don't get it? We're really not saying the MVP award means Malone was the best player in the league that year. I promise. You can lay off the strawman.

What does the Karl Malone MVP mean. It means Karl, one of the players who lasted a really long time in the NBA, could dominate without athleticism, but most players who dominate in NBA do. Please tell me what the **** you are trying to prove with the Karl Malone MVP. Literally, it's such a weak and awful point I just don't get it.

/debate

Can we close this thread now?

Linas Kleiza > karl malone

lock it up!

Hmm, lemme check with some '92 nutriders.

Nope, can't close this thread.

We know you don't get it. Hence the facepalm.

The claim is that basketball improves over time consistently, relentlessly, persistently. Some say it's improved so much that the comparison of 2012 to 1992 is not even close and all '92 NBA players would get crushed, elite or not.

Now if we scale the "not even close" claims back some, as I think most people even on the 2012 side think there is some down syndrome going on there, we still have the claim that overall, basketball ability (skills + athleticism) is a decent amount better between the two decades.

If this were true, we would expect someone at his peak in say 1992, to gradually become overwhelmed by the superior young athletes as they come into the league. THIS IS TRUE EVEN IF HE REMAINED AT HIS PEAK INTO HIS MID TO LATE 30's. People do not remain at their peak in athleticism and basketball well into their 30's. They begin to decline pretty rapidly past their early 30's. However, even if we allow Garnett and Malone to remain prime Garnett/Malone as they push 40 (which just doesn't happen), we would expect them to gradually start to suck and be pushed out of the league by the younger better players with better athleticism and skills.

However, we don't see this at all. What we see is Karl Malone still being among the best in the league and winning MVP's past his peak at almost 34 and 36 years old. Still being productive close to 40. Garnett is still playing well into his mid-30's, with 17 years of NBA wear and tear on his body.

The conclusion to draw from this is that professional basketball ability at the relevant level does not increase much from era to era in today's game. In other words, we are very close to the basketball skill plateau. If old players from a previous era can still play well, and even win MVP's at 35 years old, when they are well past their athletic peak, then basketball can't possibly be way better. Because the 35 year old is WORSE than he was at 27, and yet he's still one of the best players in the league.

That's true. It (marging of victory) only matters that this team almost got beaten, whether it was 3, 5, or 7 points at the end.

lol kobe

The verdict?

Wait. They only beat Lithuania by 5? Looks like Lithuania out shot them from 3 by 13.5% as well.

Yeah, lock it up.

Liths had more rebounds(42:37) and more assists(21 : 13 LOL) , but they lost because of turnovers (23 ouch).If Americans play like this against Spain/Argentina or Russia they're gonna lose.

I wonder what all The 2012 is the best ever people will have to say about today's performance?

What happened to the great 3-point shooting?

Oh man, the people coming out of the woodwork that were nowhere to be found after the 83 point win are awesome. The jimmies must have been seriously rustled after that Nigeria game. At least Matt is here rain or shine.

it was contested ldo

oh my god BADUU's posts itt make me want to throw up

Lol at you. Liths are like 5-8 Nt in Europe and also behind Argentina and Brazil. And they managed to get so close to USA. If USA keeps on sucking like they did today(I highly doubt it that they will tho) they will lose against better NT's. Now please go throw up.....

Andz,

it's okay if you're a little jelly of our basketball team big guy. I'm a little jealous of <insert any country's soccer team that's remotely good> if it makes you feel better.

Jelly why? I'm just telling it like it is. If they play like this against better NT's they're gonna lose.

MyTurn2Raise,
For reference, here is the Lithuanian team that almost beat the '12 U.S. team

wiki - you can click the names for the player backgrounds

Did the '92 team face a single player comparable to the talent of Martynas Pocius?

pocius is awesome!

If you want some peanut butter just let me know

Well, I would not have guessed that Pocius went to Duke, so there's that.